Doubles rig

[Shark Bait!]

Starting to do some research since i will be getting into doubles pretty soon. Would like your input Tobin. I have a singles setup already med kydex plate LCD20 wing.

S.Florida/Caribbean diving, 3-5mm wetsuit for winter diveing down here LOL (no $$$ for drysuit), and ill probably be diving LP85's

 

[cool_hardware52]

Starting to do some research since i will be getting into doubles pretty soon. Would like your input Tobin. I have a singles setup already med kydex plate LCD20 wing.

S.Florida/Caribbean diving, 3-5mm wetsuit for winter diveing down here LOL (no $$$ for drysuit), and ill probably be diving LP85's

Kevin,

Double steel tanks in the ocean in a wetsuit is not the best idea.

Assuming your wetsuit is + 10 lbs (pretty typical for a 5mm) and you start the dive negative by the weight of your gas , 2 x 85 x .08 = ~14 lbs, you find yourself 24 lbs negative if you suffered a buoyancy failure at depth early in the dive.

That's a bunch to swim up. Your rig, assuming faber lp 85's, would be about -11 ~-12 lbs with empty cylinders. That means you are over weighted too. The worthingtons are even heavier.

Better would be 2 x al 80's. About the same amount of gas, but now your rig is about -2lbs with empty cylinders, and you will need ~6-8 in a weight belt.

Now you would only be about -22 lbs at depth worst case, and you have ~8 lbs to drop. That leaves 14 lbs to swim up in the event of a buoyancy failure.

With 2 x al 80 and a thin wetsuit the wing of choice is the Torus 38, that's what we made them for.

Tobin

 

[Wormil]

Not to be snarky, or pick a fight, but I'm curious about your thoughts on having a lift bag or a dual bladder wing?

 

[Scott L]

Kevin,

Double steel tanks in the ocean in a wetsuit is not the best idea.

Assuming your wetsuit is + 10 lbs (pretty typical for a 5mm) and you start the dive negative by the weight of your gas , 2 x 85 x .08 = ~14 lbs, you find yourself 24 lbs negative if you suffered a buoyancy failure at depth early in the dive.

That's a bunch to swim up. Your rig, assuming faber lp 85's, would be about -11 ~-12 lbs with empty cylinders. That means you are over weighted too. The worthingtons are even heavier.

Better would be 2 x al 80's. About the same amount of gas, but now your rig is about -2lbs with empty cylinders, and you will need ~6-8 in a weight belt.

Now you would only be about -22 lbs at depth worst case, and you have ~8 lbs to drop. That leaves 14 lbs to swim up in the event of a buoyancy failure.

With 2 x al 80 and a thin wetsuit the wing of choice is the Torus 38, that's what we made them for.

Tobin

Tobin,
What percentage of divers in the sub-tropics/tropics follow this sound advise? Can a technical diver utlize a drysuit in those areas without succumbing to the effects of top-side before rolling into water and the 80 degree + water itself? There are lot's of opionions on the matter. I would enjoy hearing your thoughts on the subject. Thank you in advance! Scott

 

[Wookie]

A lot of my deep divers use a drysuit because the water is damn cold below 200 feet. We hose them down while they are pre-breathing their rebreathers or held up on deck for whatever reason. I dive in Worthington 100 doubles and a 3 mil wetsuit with a dual bladder wing and training to maintain buoyancy using a lift bag. I've done it in training, but wouldn't want to for real.

I rent aluminum 80's to divers who don't want to travel with their own cylinders. I've never rented the aluminum cylinders.

I agree with Tobin. If you're gonna dive wet, especially if you're just starting, dive aluminum.

Frank.

 

[Scott L]

A lot of my deep divers use a drysuit because the water is damn cold below 200 feet. We hose them down while they are pre-breathing their rebreathers or held up on deck for whatever reason. I dive in Worthington 100 doubles and a 3 mil wetsuit with a dual bladder wing and training to maintain buoyancy using a lift bag. I've done it in training, but wouldn't want to for real.

I rent aluminum 80's to divers who don't want to travel with their own cylinders. I've never rented the aluminum cylinders.

I agree with Tobin. If you're gonna dive wet, especially if you're just starting, dive aluminum.

Frank.

Thanks Wookie! With regard to lift bag back up would you deploy at depth then swim/reel up-ward or hang-on to lift bag and vent appropriately without use of reel? Line breakage would seem to be a horrifying thought with the first senario. :shocked2:

 

[Wookie]

Thanks Wookie! With regard to lift bag back up would you deploy at depth then swim/reel up-ward or hang-on to lift bag and vent appropriately without use of reel? Line breakage would seem to be a horrifying thought with the first senario. :shocked2:

I clip the clip from the lift bag to the d-ring on my crotch strap and hold on to the dump valve. I repeat, it sucks.

 

[Scott L]

I clip the clip from the lift bag to the d-ring on my crotch strap and hold on to the dump valve. I repeat, it sucks.

I am sure there are some very funny terms for it out there like the DCS elevator express. Sorry, best I could do under such short notice.

 

[cool_hardware52]

I clip the clip from the lift bag to the d-ring on my crotch strap and hold on to the dump valve. I repeat, it sucks.

Yup, not the easiest way to make a controlled ascent.

I will point out that this requires a true "lift bag" with the OPV at the top of the bag.

Many SMB's have the Over Pressure Valve at the base. This will keep the bag from bursting if it is "shot" from depth, but they are useless for making a controlled ascent of a diver or any other load.

Tobin

 

[Rainer]

Your rig, assuming faber lp 85's, would be about -11 ~-12 lbs with empty cylinders. That means you are over weighted too. The worthingtons are even heavier.

Tobin, I agree with you about generally wanting to avoid steel doubles with a wetsuit, but where are you getting your numbers for Worthington LP85s? I have a set. The cylinders are neutral when empty...